The Concern With The Influenza Virus
The concern with the human influenza virus is always on the minds of people. If you are a parent, you want your children protected. If you also have elderly parents, you know that they are at the most risk of contracting the influenza virus. In order to protect yourself from contracting the influenza virus during the next flu season, you will want make sure that you and all of your family members get their annual flu shot.
Two Ways The Influenza Virus Can Change
The biggest concern with the influenza virus is that the virus can sometimes change. This change, if it happens too quickly or unexpectedly, will make flu shots less protective than they are normally. The problem with the last batch of flu shots fell under this category. The shot did not contain the protection for the latest strain of the influenza virus. Doctors and researchers are committed to making sure that this problem does not happen with next year's batch.
The influenza virus can change in different ways. The two most common ways they change are the antigenic drift and antigenic shift. The antigenic drift is a change that is a minute change in the influenza virus. These small changes will alter the virus slowly over time. The concern for this type of change is that the virus can produce new strains that the human body does not recognize. How this works inside a body is by invading the body just like any other type of influenza virus, but it is a varied strain that is not recognized by the immune system. The problem with this is that re-infection can and will occur. This is why it is so important for everyone to get a flu shot each year in order to protect themselves against the newest strains.
The other type of change is called the antigenic shift. This is a much faster change in the influenza virus. This is a worrisome change because many people do not have any warning or protection again the new strain. Someone may be left unprotected from these new strains if they are not protected by a flu shot, but everyone will be susceptible to the sudden change in creating a new strain.
The most important way for you to protect yourself is to get your annual flu shot. This is the best way for you protect yourself from most strains of the influenza virus.
